Final Girl - Quick Start Guide for Beginners (Carnage at the Carnival)

Reading time approx. 10–12 minutes

Quick Start – First Game (with Rule Clarity)

Final Girl is a solo horror board game by Van Ryder Games where you play as the last survivor fighting against a killer.

Carnage at the Carnival pairs the killer Geppetto – The Puppet Master with the location Carnival of Blood. This combination introduces two special mechanics at once: hidden traps in the Item decks and permanent Trap Tokens on the board triggered by Terror cards. On top of that, Geppetto's signature: up to three Puppets acting as independent minions, making him unkillable as long as all three are on the board.

This guide focuses on tactical flow, trap mechanics, Puppet rules, common mistakes and the best strategies against Geppetto at the carnival.

This guide is aimed at players who already know the Core Box and want to dive into Geppetto and Carnival of Blood. All box-specific rules are fully explained – core mechanics such as dice rolling, action cards and the basic flow of play are assumed to be known.

1. What You Need

Core Box: Contains all shared components – dice, action cards, meeples and markers.

Feature Film Box – Carnage at the Carnival: A single box contains everything for the killer and location – Killer Board for Geppetto, Location Board for Carnival of Blood, all Terror and Event cards from both sets, Finale Cards, Dark Power Cards, the Puppets card with three Puppet tokens, Item cards, three Item Trap cards, three Terror Trap tokens, the Terror Trap reference card, plus the two Final Girls Asami and Charlie.

Important core rule: Final Girl cannot be played with the Core Box alone – you always need at least one Feature Film Box. For Carnage at the Carnival, a single Feature Film Box is enough.

2. Goal of the Game

Victory: Geppetto loses all Hit Points and his last health marker (Final Health Token) is empty.

Defeat: Your Hit Points drop to 0 and your last health marker is also empty.

Special case: If you and Geppetto die simultaneously, you win – the ultimate sacrifice!

3. The Game Boards

4. Box-Specific Setup

All general setup steps (choose a Final Girl, Setup card, Event card, health markers) → Core Guide. For Carnage at the Carnival, these box-specific steps apply:

Prepare the Puppets card: Place all three Puppet Tokens in the Ready area. The card sits next to the Killer Board and tracks the state of all Puppets.

Starting Hand: Take the 6 free Zero-Cost action cards – identified by the golden hourglass symbol with "0" – as your starting hand. Lay out the remaining action cards as the Action Tableau in two rows ascending by cost.

Item Decks (Special Setup – Mandatory!):

1. Set aside the three Item Trap cards. Shuffle the remaining Item cards.
2. Deal three piles of 2 Item cards face-down. Shuffle one Item Trap card face-down into each pile. Shuffle each pile individually.
3. Place one Item card face-up on top of each pile as the visible top card. Return remaining cards to the box.

Result: 3 Item decks of 4 cards each – every deck contains one hidden trap.

Mixing in Character Items: Playing Asami → shuffle Asami's Knife Belt into the full Item pile before step 1. For guaranteed availability: draw only 11 regular Items, add the Knife Belt (= 12 cards), then run the 3 steps. Same applies for Charlie's Giant Hammer.

Terror Deck: Shuffle all Terror cards from Geppetto (16 cards) and Carnival of Blood (8 cards, including 3 Terror Trap cards) into one combined deck = 24 cards total. All 24 are used.

5. Special Mechanic: Puppets + Immortal Master

Core Puppet Rules

• Each Puppet has 1 Hit Point and 1 Attack value. Their movement equals Geppetto's current movement value.
• Puppets must end their movement within 2 spaces of Geppetto. They may move farther away but must be close enough at the end of the move.
• If a Puppet ends up more than 2 spaces away due to a card effect, on its next turn it must return to Geppetto first before targeting anything else.
• When a Puppet is killed, place its token in the Exhausted area of the Puppets card.
• At the start of every Killer Phase – as long as the Finale has not been revealed: 1 Puppet from the Ready area spawns in Geppetto's space. Then move all Exhausted tokens to the Ready area.

Immortal Master (Dark Power Card)

Immortal Master is a regular Dark Power card revealed when a specific Bloodlust Level is reached – not from the Terror Deck. Its exact wording: "If all of the Puppets are on the board, Geppetto cannot be killed. Any damage that would remove his Final Health token is ignored." From that point: as long as all 3 Puppets are simultaneously on the board, Geppetto cannot be killed – only the final hit on his Final Health Token is blocked. Normal damage to his regular health markers still applies.

Game-deciding rule: You can freely weaken Geppetto during Immortal Master – but not kill him. Only once at least one Puppet is eliminated can the final blow land. Weaken Geppetto in advance and save the killing strike for the right moment.

6. Special Mechanic: Terror Traps + Item Traps

Terror Traps – Permanent Traps on the Board

Certain Terror cards place a Trap Token in your current space. The token triggers immediately on you and all Victims in the space – and stays permanently. It triggers every time someone enters. Enemies (Puppets + Geppetto) ignore Trap Tokens completely.

Countering Traps: Crystal Ball – once per Action Phase: roll 1 die; on 5–6 look at the top Terror card and place it on top or bottom. Sending Terror Trap cards to the bottom buys time to leave the space. Found Footage – discard to fully negate one Item Trap or Terror Trap; if canceling a Terror Trap, discard it without applying any of its effects.

Item Traps – Hidden Traps in the Search Decks

One Item Trap card is hidden in each of the 3 Item decks. When drawn during a Search, it must be resolved immediately – unless Asami or Zappo are involved. If a regular Item card is also drawn, you may keep it – but resolve the trap first.

Asami is fully immune to all Item Traps – she ignores them when drawn and discards them. If Zappo draws an Item Trap while searching, he panics: trap effects are ignored, Zappo is discarded and no longer available.

7. Special Mechanic: Dark Powers + Finale Cards + Zappo

Dark Powers – 2 Minor + 3 Regular + 1 Epic

Minor Dark Powers are in the Terror Deck and drawn randomly like normal Terror cards – placed permanently on the Killer Board immediately. Regular Dark Powers are revealed when specific Bloodlust Levels are reached. The Epic Dark Power is a unique fourth card that unlocks its own distinct effect.

Critical = Game-deciding  |  Very High = React immediately  |  High = Do not ignore

Watch for Join the Family: unlike Immortal Master, which only blocks Geppetto's death, Join the Family can strip your entire remaining health pool the moment all three Puppets share your space. Keeping one Puppet permanently dead not only unlocks the killing blow on Geppetto — it also disarms this card completely.

Finale Cards

At the start, one of the three Finale Cards is randomly chosen. Its back shows the Minion Action Line for the entire game. Once the Terror Deck is exhausted, the front side is revealed.

Very High = Fundamentally changes the endgame  |  Medium = Manageable with preparation

Zappo – the Carnival Monkey

Zappo arrives via the Event Card "So Much Junk" – when revealed, Zappo goes directly into your Backpack.

• Remote Search: Perform a Search action from up to 2 spaces away – no need to physically move there.
• One-time Trap Immunity: If Zappo draws an Item Trap → trap effects ignored, Zappo discarded, no longer available.

Loss: If you lose Zappo (for any reason) → –1 die for Search action cards for the rest of the game (minimum: 1 die).

8. Killer Phase + Panic Phase – Box-Specific Rules

Killer Phase – Puppet Spawn Sequence:

1. Geppetto acts first: The Killer Action from the Finale card is performed before any Terror card is drawn.
2. Draw a Terror card and fully resolve all effects.
3. Spawn a Puppet (first step of the Minion Action Line, before the Finale is revealed): 1 token from the Ready area to Geppetto's space. If the Ready area is empty → no spawn. Then move all Exhausted tokens to the Ready area.
4. If the drawn Terror card specifies an action for Puppets and/or Geppetto: Puppets act first, one at a time in the order of your choice, then Geppetto. If the card specifies no Puppet action → use the standard Minion Action from the back of the Finale card.

Common mistake – order: Geppetto's Finale Card action comes first, only then is the Terror card drawn. Not reversed.

Panic Phase – Box-Specific: Only Victims in the same space as Geppetto or a Puppet enter Panic – not all Victims on the board. Puppets trigger Panic exactly like Geppetto himself.

9. Weapons & Items – Full Rating

Strength rating is a tactical assessment, not official rules. Range 0 = same space, 1 = adjacent space, – = no attack.

Strong = Grab immediately  |  Medium = Take when available  |  Danger = Item Trap  |  Weak = Rarely worth it
* Throwing Axe: When thrown to an adjacent space (Range 1), it is discarded after the attack. Used at Range 0, it may not need to be discarded.

10. Character Choice: Asami or Charlie?

Asami – Search Expert and Trap Immunity · 5 HP

Asami has 5 HP – less than Charlie – but two strong passive advantages: whenever she draws at least one Item card, she may draw an additional card and choose one. She is also fully immune to Item Trap cards – she ignores them as if they were never drawn. For each additional Victim saved, she recovers 1 HP.

Setup note: Mix Asami's Knife Belt into the correct Item deck before setup.

• Early game: Close Call + Search → Asami's Knife Belt or Knife Bandolier as quickly as possible
• Mid-game: Guard (2× in hand) + Retaliate (1× – only 1 in deck) + Distraction to keep Puppets away from Victims
• End-game: Furious Strike + Critical Blow with Knife Belt – split damage between Geppetto and remaining Puppets
• Core strategy: Use the search bonus aggressively to secure good items early. Trap immunity gives you the freedom to deliberately clear the riskier search piles. Rescue Victims to regenerate Hit Points.

Charlie – Tough Fighter with Signature Weapon · 7 HP

Charlie has 7 HP – the most in this combination. Her active ability allows her to, during the Action Phase, voluntarily take 3 damage to put Critical Blow directly into hand – no Search, no luck involved. This makes her the most reliable finisher in the endgame. For each additional Victim saved, she gains a Time Token.

• Early game: Close Call + Search → Charlie's Giant Hammer if possible
• Mid-game: Guard + Retaliate + Furious Strike. Charlie's higher HP allows riskier positioning close to Geppetto.
• End-game: Use her active ability to put Critical Blow directly into hand. Combined with the Giant Hammer, this is the strongest single attack move against Geppetto.
• Core strategy: Use her high HP deliberately as a buffer. Factor in her Adrenaline Rush action card at low HP – sometimes it's worth taking damage deliberately rather than healing. Rescuing Victims gives back Time Tokens.

11. Best Card Combinations by Character

Community tactical rating for Geppetto + Carnival of Blood – not official rules.

Advantage = Mostly positive  |  Neutral = Situational  |  Disadvantage = Makes the game harder

12. Advanced Strategies Against Geppetto

Strategy 1 – Reach the Green Zone (top priority): 3 dice in the green zone of the Horror Track is your primary goal. Play Focus actively as the level rises. With 1 die every action is a gamble – even more so against Geppetto and his Puppets than against other killers.

Strategy 2 – Track Immortal Master: Once all three Puppets are on the board, Geppetto cannot be killed – normal damage still applies but the final blow is blocked. Freely weaken Geppetto – but kill at least one Puppet before landing the killing strike. The Knife Bandolier and Throwing Axe are ideal for this as they can reach multiple enemies or distant targets.

Strategy 3 – Map the Trap Spaces: Once a Terror Trap triggers, that space is permanently dangerous. Remember which spaces carry traps – especially thoroughfares. The Crystal Ball lets you peek at Terror cards and push Trap cards to the bottom of the deck. Found Footage negates a trap completely.

Strategy 4 – Systematically Exhaust the Puppets: Puppets regenerate each Killer Phase cycle. You can never permanently kill all three – exhausted Puppets come back. Instead: always keep at least one Puppet dead to block both Immortal Master and the Epic Dark Power Join the Family, which strips all your remaining HP if all three Puppets ever share your space. One Puppet dead neutralizes both threats at once. Still attack and weaken Geppetto during Immortal Master – so the killing blow lands when the moment is right.

Strategy 5 – Aluminum Bat Against Dark Powers: Weapons Graft is one of the most dangerous Dark Powers – Puppets dealing 2 damage combined with Immortal Master is nearly unbeatable. The Aluminum Bat lets you discard any Minor Dark Power on a hit, including Puppets Everywhere or "Am I a Puppet?". That is its only but massively important use.

Strategy 6 – Prepare for the Finale: When the Terror Deck is nearly empty: melee weapon equipped, 1× Guard or 1× Retaliate in hand (only 1 Retaliate in the deck), enough HP, Close Call available, at least one Puppet dead. Whichever Finale card is revealed — Remember Them?, No Strings Attached, or I Made Your Friends — expect a sudden escalation and be ready for simultaneous attacks from multiple directions.

Strategy 7 – Victims as a Buffer (tactically, not emotionally): Geppetto and Puppets attack Victims before targeting you – as long as Victims are in their space. This sometimes buys a round to heal or search. Use deliberately – don't overdo it since dead Victims raise Bloodlust, especially with Puppets Everywhere active.

Warning – Final Effect (top of the Bloodlust track):
Once the Bloodlust marker reaches the maximum and continues to increase, each further increase discards the next Terror card without it being played. This shortens the Terror deck faster than expected and can trigger the Finale reveal significantly earlier – plan accordingly.

13. The 6 Most Common Mistakes

1. Misunderstanding Immortal Master: All three Puppets on the board means Geppetto cannot be killed – but normal damage to his health markers still applies. Common mistake: not attacking Geppetto at all while Puppets are alive. Correct: freely weaken him, but save the killing blow until at least one Puppet is dead.

2. Forgetting Trap Token Spaces: Accidentally entering a trap space mid-endgame can be fatal. Traps are permanent – remember which spaces are affected, especially high-traffic spaces.

3. Underestimating Item Traps: The Hidden Cobra Trap is especially dangerous – it permanently costs 1 HP each Upkeep Phase until HP is restored. Found early in the game it can destabilise the entire run.

4. Misreading the Time Token: When it hits zero, you may still continue. When it goes below zero, the Action Phase ends immediately – no more Time can be gained after that.

5. Puppets Also Trigger Panic: During the Panic Phase, Victims in the same space as Geppetto or a Puppet enter Panic – not only Victims near Geppetto. Puppets trigger Panic exactly like Geppetto himself.

6. Misusing the Final Health Token: It is placed face-down – only when revealed (when HP reaches 0) does it show whether you survive or lose. Never look at it beforehand!

14. Summary

Carnage at the Carnival is one of the most demanding Feature Film Boxes from Final Girl Series 1. Geppetto's Puppet mechanics, the permanent Trap Tokens and the Dark Powers create a constantly escalating threat that forces decisions under time pressure. The box rewards disciplined play: control the Horror Level, know your traps, keep a Puppet permanently down to disarm both Immortal Master and Join the Family, and use the right weapons at the right moment – and you have a real chance.

Asami is the recommended choice for a first game – her Trap immunity and Search bonus provide significantly more room for error. Charlie is the more reliable endgame choice once the mechanics click. Both characters offer enough depth for many replays.

All core rules in the Final Girl Core Guide.

Here's the link to the official rulebook and the link to the German fan translation.

The German rules translation was created by BGG user head bert. Many thanks for that.

Notice: This is an unofficial fan guide and is not affiliated with the manufacturer or publisher of the game. Final Girl and all associated names, cards and game content are the property of Van Ryder Games. This site is neither endorsed nor authorised by Van Ryder Games.

We accept no liability for the content of linked pages. Responsibility lies with the respective operator; links will be removed promptly upon notification of rights violations.

Original texts, translations and compilation: © ReDesign.